Mixed Early Season Conditions in North America
The resorts around Banff in Canada are offering some of the best skiing – Sunshine Village, Lake Louise and Mt Norquay.
The PlanetSKI team of Alex Cove and Marie Taylor were making turns in Sunshine Village last weekend.
Sunshine Village, Banff, Canada. Image © PlanetSKI
Sunshine Village, Banff, Canada. Image © PlanetSKI
“We were up at Sunshine and it received about 5cm of fresh snow overnight,” said Alex.
“It was pretty rocky overall but there some some good bits of snow here & there, and it was simply great to be back on skis with the winter stretching ahead.
“Standish opened for the first time this season and they’re working on getting Angel open as soon as they can.”
Sunshine Village, Banff, Canada. Image © PlanetSKI
Sunshine Village, Banff, Canada. Image © PlanetSKI
Sunshine Village, Banff, Canada. Image © PlanetSKI
We reported on the opening of Sunshine Village on PlanetSKI at the beginning of November:
It has not been so good in parts of the USA.
In Utah the snow has been poor with some resorts forced to delay their opening due to a lack of snow and warm temperatures.
Solitude, Brian Head, and Park City have already postponed the start of the season.
Park City was due to open on Friday 21st November but it has cancelled it, with no firm date set for opening.
“Despite the best efforts from the entire Park City Mountain team, who have been gearing up all summer to welcome guests back to the slopes, Mother Nature decided we could all use just a little more suspense,” said Park City spokesperson, John Kanaly.
“Our team is keeping a close eye on the forecast, and we’re watching for that perfect snowmaking window,” he added.
Deer Valley has also announced a postponement.
The resort had planned an earlier-than-normal opening this year, but current weather conditions do not yet allow the resort to open.
Deer Valley will announce a revised opening plan as soon as sustained cold temperatures allow for consistent snow making.
It is hoped Brian Head may open this weekend, making it the first resort in Utah to open.
Watch this space.
Several resorts in Colorado have already opened including Keystone, Breckenridge, Loveland and Arapahoe Basin.
Mammoth Mountain in California opened on Thursday 20th November, after two delays to its opening date.
“Mammoth Mountain will open for skiing and riding this Thursday November 20th,” the resort announced on Monday.
“Thanks to the teamwork of Mother Nature and our snowmaking crews, these colder temps have enabled us to make substantial progress on our base.”
Another ski area that has opened is Arizona Snowbowl.
It opened on Thursday 20th November, one day ahead of schedule.
It has received 37 inches of snow since last Sunday, with more snowfall and snow making expected to continue.
Arizona Snowbowl, USA. Image c/o Arizona Snowbowl.
Early-season conditions exist in the resort, and the terrain is best suited for advanced skiers and riders.
“This storm delivered a phenomenal jumpstart to our season, and opening early is an exciting way to welcome riders and skiers back to the mountain,” said the Arizona Snowbowl marketing manager, Angie Grubb.
“Snowbowl is known for long, reliable seasons, and the amount of snow we’ve received this week gives us incredible momentum heading into winter.”
Arizona Snowbowl, USA. Image c/o Arizona Snowbowl.
The first resort in the eastern USA has also opened with Killington offering some skiing and snowboarding.
Mike Solimano, President and General Manager of Killington Resort and Pico Mountain, joined FOX Weather as the ski season kicks off in Vermont.
In Europe winter has got off to a good start, the best in recent years, with Val Thorens and Tignes in France opening this weekend.
There’s even a spot of skiing on offer in the UK at the moment.
The ski area of Yad Moss in Cumbria and Cairngorm in Scotland have opened:
Yad Moss. Image c/o Yad Moss web camera.
Here at PlanetSKI we will be updating this article on conditions in North America, so do check back…
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